SpokEasy

SpokEasy

April 2026

Can’t Beat the Wind

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Can’t Beat the Wind 💨 Today’s Featured Product! KneeRover Deluxe Knee Cycle New!! M&Ms Fun Size Variety Pack For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I simply can’t beat the wind, it seems. Wind can make it hard to enjoy the ride, that’s for sure! Today some strong gusts developed; and I’m glad I was almost finished by the time they came up. More of the same is in the forecast for tomorrow. Today I got in 20 miles. Most of it was “just ride”; but tomorrow I think I’ll do a shorter ride, with some hard efforts. Not that today’s ride was all that easy. I could sense that my heart rate was well up! Heart Rate 🤎 Heart rate training would be much more fun if it were all about chocolate hearts! Alas, it isn’t. Heart rate training, from what I’ve read, can be better than looking at speed alone; because speed relies on so many factors beyond a rider’s control. Take headwinds. A strong headwind, of course, slows me down; but working hard against it means a higher heart rate than the same speed attained with a good tailwind. I guess it’s sort of like working with a power meter. I don’t own a power meter, though. I’ve got enough to think about with our crazy weather!  Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Can’t Beat the Wind Read More »

What Happened to Spring?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

What Happened to Spring? 🌸 Today’s Featured Product! Tommaso Men’s Montagna 200 New!! SIS GO + CAFF Berry For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Can someone tell me what happened to Spring? Not that it’s cold enough for Rabbitroom Gloves; but last might it suddenly dropped to the 50s! The weather will warm up again over the next few days; but today it’s chilly and drizzly. Gosh, what happened to Spring?  Wind gusts could reach 30 mph; so I’m not riding. I don’t want to get blown off the levee! The wind is from the North, so I’d have against me on the way home; and I get so tired of that! Upcoming Week 📅 What shall I do for the upcoming week? I must plan some hard efforts; and at least one ride of 22 miles or so. I slacked off today because of the weather. When I do a ride of 20 miles or more, I stop halfway through to 1) reapply sunblock; and 2) have a snack. These snacks are a good opportunity to try any new ride foods that I find. Yesterday at the salvage store I found 12-count boxes of Clif Builders protein bars; and I must try one soon. They’re chocolate chip cookie dough flavor; and that’s usually a good one! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

What Happened to Spring? Read More »

It Happens Fast

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

It Happens Fast ⏩ Today’s Featured Product! Bell Handlebar Basket New!! Kaslight Bike Lights For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Sometimes it happens fast; almost overnight! Early this week, I saw that the trees along my usual riding route were suddenly all leafed out. It reminds me of the expression, Blink and you’ll miss it. It happens fast with the weather, too. This morning I rode to the salvage store; and at the time the doors opened, the sky was mostly clear. When I left the store barely half an hour later, it was mostly overcast! I expected it to rain when I got home, as it was still overcast. But looks are deceiving; as of noon, not a drop has fallen. But Tomorrow? ➡️ But tomorrow? It doesn’t look so great. Riding is good; but the forecast predicts wind gusts up to 30 mph! I’m not sure I want to fight that; and maybe I’ll skip the ride tomorrow. If I do ride, it might be better to make it short; and ride laps around the park. There’s a 30% chance of showers and T-storms, too; so it would be a good idea to stay close to home. When a storm moves in, it can happen fast; and a distant grumble of thunder can change to close lightning in no time! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

It Happens Fast Read More »

Keep Plodding

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Keep Plodding 🐌 Today’s Featured Product! Canari Cyclewear Women’s Shorts New!! MERACH W50 Walking Pad For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Keep plodding … oh, here I go again! Maybe I need more Kodiak Protein Balls to speed me up? I seem to be stuck at one slow speed. But of course I’ll keep plodding as long as there’s a headwind; and today, even heading into a breeze of 6-7 mph felt like hard work. I’m glad I was home by 10:00 am, because since then the wind has increased to 13 mph. And day after tomorrow, gusts could reach 25 mph! Maybe better Sunday than tomorrow, though; or I’d have quite a tough time riding home from the salvage store. Switch Things Around 🔀 I can always switch things around; and do my long ride on another day of the week. And I’m not required to put in X number of miles per week; it’s not as though I were training for racing. Or even a recreational century. Maybe having an event to work towards would spur me towards a more structured riding plan, though. That, in turn, could help me to improve my pace. If I can stick to it, that  is! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Keep Plodding Read More »

Brain Fag?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Brain Fag? 🧠 Today’s Featured Product! Unigear Hydration Bladder New!! HaoHakka X-Large Duffle For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! . Some days I feel like I have brain fag. Sometimes it’s because I’m physically tired; and I sure was tired this morning. Maybe I rode harder than I realized against the wind yesterday? Or did I need more food during that ride? Brain fag is apt to occur after a period of intense website editing; and that would actually be a good time to get outdoors and get some physical activity. I hope I get in some good riding over the weekend! Weekend Plans 🕯️ Hey, wait, I said WEEK-end — not WICK-end! I guess I’m remembering the joke about candle-makers who went on strike because they wanted to work on wickends only. Not that I dare go out there and build a campfire; or even carry around an unprotected candle. It’s still dry; and I don’t know much about keeping a campfire under control. But by Saturday night, there’s a chance of showers; and Sunday morning there’s even a chance of T-storms. But only a 20% chance; so I might get to go for a long ride. We’ll see what’s going on then. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Brain Fag? Read More »

Unloaded

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Unloaded 🚴🏿 Today’s Featured Product! Optimum Crank Length App New!! ACAGALA Backpack LED Signal For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It felt good to hit the bike path unloaded. Today I left the Camel-Bak home; and did a much shorter ride. I did, however, put in some hard efforts. Hard relatively speaking, anyway. I worked at pushing for 13 mph for two minutes at a time on the way out; and I believe I had a tailwind then. On the way home, the wind was against me; and it had risen from 6 mph to 10 mph! So I worked on low-gear, fast-cadence spinning. It must be nice to ride unloaded on a long bicycle tour, when you’re fully supported; and don’t have to carry everything. I have a long, long way to go before I’m in sufficient condition to attempt a self-supported bicycle trip! Riding Longer ⟺ I’m riding longer now. I think I’m ready to push for 22-25 miles several times a week; not 20 miles. It’s not long-distance cycling; but I’ll get there. Riding longer means more tussling with headwinds 😬; but being out longer lets me see more. I’ve seen bald eagles; and today I saw a rabbit. But I’m glad that I see few snakes! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Unloaded Read More »

Spinning

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Spinning 😵‍💫 Today’s Featured Product! TLAMEE Kids Bike Helmet New!! Yumster Yo! Bar For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! We all have times when out heads start spinning. It might be an extra-hard ride that leaves us feeling like we can’t see straight. Or intensive editing work on a website! An hour or two of that sure leaves me with a spinning head! So I try not to edit too big a chunk at one time; and even then, sometimes it makes my head spin. But it’s part of the game; and I can always let it rest day or two. The break, in fact, in good for my brain. This rest can even result in new ideas! Ideas 💡 I’m trying to come up with some new ideas for rides. Not a roller-coaster, though — that’s too crazy for me! Maybe tomorrow I’ll do a short ride, with some intense efforts. I haven’t done much of that for about two weeks; and it’s time to get back to it. I’ll have a headwind on the way home (as usual!) but pushing against the wind is one way to get stronger! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Spinning Read More »

Still Blowing

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Still Blowing 🌬️ Today’s Featured Product! Lundberg Wild Blend New!! Sepnine Dog Bike Trailer For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s still blowing out there; and it was hard going this morning. I had a protein bar with me already; but maybe I also needed a Zbar or two! It’s very annoying to start out with a wind of 6-7 mph; only to have the wind rise to 16-17 mph. And right when you have to turn around and ride into it! Even now, at 5 pm, it’s still blowing. I think I’ll take a day off from riding tomorrow. Who doesn’t need a break from headwinds? But what to do if I don’t ride? I guess I’ll think of something! What to Do? 🧹 So, what to do while I’m off the bike?  Sweep the floor? It sure needs it; but a dust mop works better; and is faster, too. There’s always blogging; but sometimes my hands need a break from the keyboard! I can sleep later; which for me still means I’ll probably be up by 8:00 am. And I can plan my rides for the rest of the week! The forecast for the coming days is much like today: still blowing. As one rider who passed me this morning said, “This wind ain’t fun!”  Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Still Blowing Read More »

Three-Ring Circus?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Three-Ring Circus? 🎪 Today’s Featured Product! PNW Cascade Dropper Post New!! Cuvccn LED Reflective Vest For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Sometimes riding the hybrid feels like a three-ring circus. Depending on wind conditions, I might use all three rings during even a 5-mile jaunt. That’s what it was like on the way to the salvage store this morning. For several days now, I’ve spent a lot of my riding time on the small (easiest) chain ring; but today I was sometimes on the small ring; sometimes on the middle ring; and, for brief stretches, on the big ring! No wonder I thought of a three-ring circus! Still Windy 🌬️ It’s still windy this afternoon; and it looks like it will continue for at least a few more days. I’ll have more of the three-ring circus! Maybe I should wear a clown costume to ride? I’ve been slack about my on-bike  strength-development exercises. Let’s face it, I’m lazy; I don’t enjoy pushing against the wind; but most people don’t, I guess. It might be better to let those exercises go while my head still feels stuffed up. On the other  hand, riding can literally clear my head. Let’s keep playing it by ear.   Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Three-Ring Circus? Read More »

Becalmed?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Becalmed? 🐚 Today’s Featured Product! Xiapia Tricycle for Toddlers New!! Luxobike Cycling Gloves For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It was almost becalmed early today; although still not like Coleridge’s ocean. Alas, it didn’t last long. At 7:00 am, the wind was only 7 mph; and I started a 20-mile ride. As I was pedaling back home, the wind rose to 14 mph. What a slog that was! That reminds me: soon it will be too warm for a helmet liner; and without that liner to protect my ears, I’ll want some “cat ears“! Unless it’s becalmed; which doesn’t happen often. Addition ➕ There’s some annoying addition in play when you’ve got a headwind. You’ve got your own forward motion, plus the speed of said headwind! I really notice it if I stop for a minute. About halfway home, I stopped to eat a GU. The wind had seemed pretty strong until then; and when I stopped, it felt like there was hardly any wind. When I got back on the bike and started moving — another story! The forecast shows no real change in the wind for tomorrow and Sunday. I’ll for sure wish it were becalmed! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Becalmed? Read More »